For the discerning cheapskate record collector

If I may, this record is so conceptually perfect that rational criticism becomes superfluous: Everything simply sounds like you want it to; shrieking vibrato vocals, deep rumbling organ, furiously fast guitar runs, face melting bass and drums just this side of in-control, all played loud and fast. Made In Japan has the best version I can imagine of “Highway Star” and if the lengthy drum solo (“The Mule”) after “Smoke on the Water” was a bit of cruel vinyl programming, we can all be happy that at least the rest of band did lines, bong hits and got blow jobs in the meantime. Even the stage patter is legendary: “You’re only 4’6″, I wouldn’t worry about it” and [to the sound man] “Can we have everything louder than everything else?” are but two off-mic gems. To top it all off, the day glow orange and red rising star iconography in the inside gatefold is perfect for separating out your stems and seeds. In a word: Fuck yeah.

Amusingly, there’s a File Under POPULAR: Pop Group advisory at the bottom of the inner gatefold. Was it ever actually filed thus?